A Highly Successful Failure

John and Peter operated a highly successful catering business based in Bondi Junction (for those outside of Australia, see Bondi Rescue - the Ozzy version of Baywatch). When the Carriageworks, a large industrial space was renovated as an art and theater venue, johnandpeter opened their first restaurant. This is where Miss G hoped to have our reception, and in the event of rain, our ceremony.

Miss G's first meeting with johnandpetercanteen's representative was both promising and frustrating. The representative made lots of promises and quoted good prices, but would put nothing on paper.

The second meeting, with johnandpetercanteen's business manager was a bit more sobering. "This is what we can do. This is what we can't do." Things were looking a bit bleak. The meeting space was ok (it had been changed from the original - what was an open space was now enclosed by a sheer curtain, and the original long single table would no longer fit - had to be reconfigured to two long tables. The restaurant would be operating at the same time (no reception-specific music?), and there could potentially be a loud party going on in the adjoining art space (ack!) No promises, barely adequate as a reception space, and virtually unworkable as a ceremony space. It was also revealed that the person who originally made all the promises was not there, and "may not be back." Ahem.

Meeting three - whoohoo!! Big news on the restaurant front. The restaurant has had a frustrating start, and so it would no longer be functioning as a restaurant. But the good news - the reason for the frustration is that there were so many people asking to rent the space (and catering), that it was wrecking their restaurant business. People would show up for the restaurant only to find that the space was being used privately (no reservations?) So johnandpeter, the highly successful catering and event planners were "closing the restaurant" and going to operate it as a private event space.

Meeting three was with an extremely astute event planner, Sabina Evans-Zanardi. The restaurant would be CLOSED during our reception, so we potentially had the entire space (for the same price that we originally were going to pay for just the back private space). As far as the adjoining art space, they were setting up for a show, but on the day of our reception, the art space would be closed by the time our event started. In the event of rain, we could use the main restaurant space, and they would arrange it however we wanted. In addition to going through menu options and prices, Sabina made suggestions regarding timing and pacing of food, dessert, and other events to help the social flow of the event. Awesome.

Water taxi?

The Sydney water taxis seem that they might induce motion sickness! Water taxi video

Veal shanks and pork necks... that sounds to me like the parts you give to the dog, but I did, in the past six months hear about a trendy butcher who was attempting to follow the philosophy of a previous era when I'm not sure what the dogs ate, but humans sought to utilize every portion of the slaughtered animal.

In this era where pets of the target clientele are fed much better than children in many parts of the world, I'm not sure getting chi chi customers to eat pigs ears is a noble endeavor. Furthermore, veal shanks and pork necks just did not SOUND like something I wanted to eat, so I ordered a recognizable "snapper." Of course, there are about 100 different species of snapper, so what's that?

In the "typical male" department, I have to say, I have no problem asking for directions. But as a human being, I'm not really fond of being required to ask the waiter to explain every item on the menu, and take notes, before I can even BEGIN to think about what I want to eat. There are chefs out there who are intelligent beings, and they create culinary masterpieces that are extraordinary. However, I'm just having dinner, and I don't want to have to do homework, extra reading, or extensively consult with a waiter beforehand. Furthermore, my tastebuds can't read, but yeah, I know there's that "expectation" factor that justifies the price tag. Can you tell I don't watch the food channel?

The "snapper" was delicious. My partner had the pork neck, and I have to say, it looked much better on the plate, and tasted much better on the palate, than it appeared on the menu.

But that's not why I'm here.

I'm here to see the wedding reception venue, and discuss the ceremony with the celebrant. And all of that is a disaster. Because there's a rage! party going on in the same giant industrial building, meaning we have to talk over thumping music and it dawns on my partner that the same thing could be occurring while we're trying to have a reception in an intimate corner that's separated from the rest by mesh curtains.

Add to the noise problem the matter that the person who made all kinds of promises about the space (that there were guarantees of NOT having other loud events on the same afternoon as the reception) has not been available. Further inquiry reveals that this person "may not be back." As in... permanently. And so we start over with a new person, and consider finding a new venue if necessary.

Oh, and my partner has honored my wishes to not go the traditional Greek route of slaughtering a lamb and having the whole thing on a spit for this special occasion. Unbeknownst to me, however, it appears she has made arrangements for a whole pig to be on a spit. Neck and all.